1Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a modular thermal management system for one or more graphics processing cards, and more particularly, to a mounting bracket configured to thermally couple to different graphics processing cards and to cooperate with a heat sink and a fan to transfer heat away from a heat zone of the graphics processing cards.
2. Description of the Related Art
To generate graphical images for display on electronic devices, such as computers or televisions, binary data from a central processing unit is often translated by a graphics processing unit (GPU). The GPU determines how to manipulate pixels to form an image described by the binary data. Some GPUs are integrated in a motherboard that share memory with the central processing unit. Other GPUs are integrated in dedicated graphics processing cards, which are configured to interface with the central processing unit on the motherboard.
The GPUs are designed to quickly execute instructions to calculate and display the graphics for the devices, including displaying textures, rendering geometric images, and rotating and translating vertices into different coordinate systems. The GPUs also provide pixel shading that renders objects to appear, e.g., shiny, dull, rough, or round. Creating the images is a demanding process that uses significant amounts of power and generates significant amounts of heat. The heat emitted results from repeating the GPU processes at rates of sixty times per second, i.e., continuously refreshing the image on the display. Without the GPU, the central processing units could not adequately handle displaying the images.
Powerful graphics processing is achieved in after-market or dedicated graphics processing cards that are printed circuit boards having a GPU, memory, an interface to receive power and data, a communication port to interface with the screen, and other circuitry such as resistors and capacitors. The GPU generates information regarding what to do with each pixel associated with a display device. The memory stores the information about each pixel and stores temporary information about completed images to be displayed. The interface for power and data often couples to the motherboard through an expansion slot or an accelerated graphics port. These graphics processing cards are easily replaced or upgraded by the user.
The graphics processing cards typically consume more energy and demand more electrical power than central processing units. Accordingly, the graphics processing cards generate significant amounts of heat that can damage the components near the GPU or other devices in a host system, such as a computer or a game console.
Manufacturers of graphics processing cards design heat dissipation systems for each individual GPU for each card model. The heat dissipation systems often include a fan and heat sink that are vertically stacked and positioned directly on top of the GPU.
Every time a new graphics processing card is designed, a new heat dissipation system is designed. Since each heat dissipation system is associated with a single GPU and graphics processing card configuration, manufacturers must maintain a complex inventory of heat sink, fan, and other heat dissipation parts. This leads to higher costs of production as well as an increase in time-to-market for new designs.
Many graphics processing card failures relate to failures in the heat dissipation system, which requires replacement of the entire heat dissipation system. In order to continue assembly of a specific card configuration and to maintain warranties, the manufacturers must stock and maintain an inventory of the specific components for each heat dissipation system. This process is costly and complicated for the manufacturer to maintain, especially through the life of the warranties of all of the different types of graphics processing cards they sell.